NEW DELHI: Indians spent more than Rs 1.6 lakh crore on medicines, making drugs one of the largest components of healthcare expenditure in the country, a National Health Accounts (NHA) 2022-23 report released by the Union health ministry read.The report showed that expenditure on prescribed medicines alone crossed Rs 1.3 lakh crore, while another Rs 26,670 crore was spent on medicines purchased without prescriptions. Together, spending on medicines exceeded Rs 1.6 lakh crore. They accounted for about one-fifth of India’s healthcare spending.The report also showed that hospital admissions and inpatient treatment accounted for the largest share of current health expenditure at Rs 2.9 lakh crore (37.6%). Spending on medicines exceeded Rs 1.6 lakh crore (21%), while outpatient treatment accounted for Rs 1.4 lakh crore (18.7%). Together, these three categories accounted for 77.3% of current health expenditure.The findings come even as India recorded a steady decline in out-of-pocket expenditure as a share of total health spending over the past decade.Health experts say medicine costs remain a major contributor to household healthcare expenses, particularly for patients living with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer that require long-term treatment and regular drug purchases.Public health experts note that medicines continue to represent a significant recurring expense for many families, especially those managing chronic illnesses that require lifelong treatment.